Statement from Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and Chairman of the Paulson Institute

Chicago, IL—I congratulate Secretary Mnuchin, Ambassador Lighthizer and Vice Premier Liu He for completing phase one of a US-China trade agreement. This is the first bilateral trade deal in 20 years – it was hard fought, hard won and long overdue. While the issues between the US and China extend far beyond trade, this is a first step toward completing a comprehensive trade agreement. It is an important one because of the immediate economic benefits it will drive and because it demonstrates to the citizens of both countries that their leaders can accomplish important things. It is in our mutual interest to build on this success.

About the Paulson Institute
The Paulson Institute is a non-partisan, independent, privately funded “think and do tank” not supported by or connected to any government. It is dedicated to fostering a US-China relationship that serves to maintain global order in a rapidly evolving world. Our focus on US-China is dictated by the reality that it is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world. We often operate at the intersection of economics, financial markets, environmental protection, and policy advocacy, in part by promoting balanced and sustainable economic growth. Founded in 2011 by former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr., the Institute is based in Chicago with offices in Washington and Beijing.